Another customer rant

Here comes another rant.
We are not open at the farm for cheese sales. My schedule is so packed that when I am home, I am busy in the dairy making or packing the cheese, or in the barn tending to the goats, or in the house enjoying some well-deserved family time. Poor Brad doesn’t need any more interruptions from customers who drop by and want to buy a teeny bit of cheese or, worse, “see the goats.” We usually suggest that customers come seek me out at a farmers’ market, or check a local store. If I’m not home, I”m usually on the road, with all the cheese.
But somehow people just don’t get it. They just can’t manage to get to a farmers’ market or a store, and insist on just dropping by. Just this week, someone had a gift certificate to redeem, and although I caved in and said, sure come on over, they still couldn’t manage to come during the two days that I was home and waiting for them, and they showed up in the middle of a blizzard.
I do six farmers’ markets a week during the market season, and one a week during the winter. That’s at least 150 opportunties to find me somewhere with a full array of cheese ready for their selection and my full attention.
And yes, we do have a "closed" sign. It's up permanently...

Snowmobile Hell

It’s been such a snowy and early winter that the snowmobilers must be living on their snowmobiles. Many trails go through our neighborhood, and this year, they are also using the roads. It sounds like a heavy industrial park around here. It drives me nuts. I want to go outside and hear nothing but the snow falling. I don’t want to hear the roar and snarl of those damned snowmobiles.
In contrast, Brad’s iceboat customers have been strangley quiet. Usually he starts getting the calls to get their sails repaired as soon as the first ice is safe. This year the snow came before the ice, and it’ s not looking good for good skating or iceboating ice. Somehow, iceboating and skatesailing appeal to my sense of winter sports much more than snowmobiling. Probably because it’s quiet.

Classic New England Seasons

We enjoyed the most perfect snow day this week. We had no where we had to go; it was a snow day from school, and we’d planned a down day to recover from our weekend holiday sale. The snow was picture-perfect - fluffy and light. We stayed inside all day and just watched it fall, baked bread and ate the whole loaf hot from the oven with homemade butter. Then I made an apple pie for supper.

We continue to get light snowfalls to renew the snow cover. It really is classic winter weather, and fine with me for Christmas.

On reflection, I realized that this fall’s weather was the most beautiful in years, following a summer of perfect weather. I now expect a perfect spring. I just wish it wasn’t four months away...